Brian France to Gordon/Keselowski fans: 'That's racing'

   In an interview on Wednesday on SiriusXM Satellite Radio's NASCAR Channel, NASCAR Chairman Brian France was asked what he would say to angry fans who don't like the fact either Jeff Gordon or Brad Keselowski - both of whom had among the most wins this season - didn't advance in the Chase to compete for the championship in Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

   Here was France's response:

   "In any format that we could ever devise, even if you had to win to compete for the championship, that's auto racing, that happens. Talk to Rusty Wallace. Talk to Bill Elliott. Talk to all the past competitors in NASCAR who had a stellar season but they weren't the best on any given day. In this format you have to be the best all the way through. There is no format that we're going to devise that weights it so much that if you win so many races you're somehow automatically going to be the champion. You've got to do it all the way through. This is the best balance in auto racing, no question about it."

Richard Childress on Ryan Newman: 'He drove with his heart'

   Ryan Newman is in his first season driving for Richard Childress Racing but he's already made quite an impression on his team owner. Newman gained a position on the final lap of Sunday's race at Phoenix which earned him the fourth and final berth in the Sprint Cup championship race next Sunday at Homestead, Fla. Childress last won a Cup championship in 1994 with the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.

   "It is unbelievable. We are in it for the championship when we go down there," Childress said after the race. "Ryan drove with his heart; that is what he did.That is what it took to get in. 

   "That was the worst set of tires (last set) that we'd had all day long. He ran in the top five, six, seven and eight the whole race. Then that set of tires just knocked us plumb out of it. But he still made it happen."

Phoenix International Raceway addresses power outages during Friday's Truck race

   Phoenix International Raceway issued the following statement early Saturday morning regarding the power outages during Friday night's NASCAR Truck Series race that ultimately forced the race to be halted early:

   "We are extremely disappointed that tonight’s race was delayed and ultimately shortened by failures in the local power grid. We want to thank the devoted race fans who stayed throughout the race, however PIR and NASCAR both agreed that it was in the best interest of the drivers to call an end to the race after the second power outage, as safety of the competitors is paramount. While we appreciate the efforts of APS and its repair crews to restore service as quickly as possible, having to end the race prematurely is not the experience that our fans expect and deserve."

   Pole-winner Erik Jones was declared the winner when the race was halted 24 laps from the finish when the track's lights went out for the second time during the race.

Dover (DE) Police investigating allegation of domestic abuse involving Kurt Busch

   Statement from the Dover (Del.) Police Department:
   "The Dover Police Department can confirm that an investigation is being conducted based on an allegation of domestic assault that is alleged to have occurred in the City of Dover involving Mr. Busch. These allegations were brought to the Dover Police Department on Wednesday, November 5th at 2:00PM. At this time, the department is still investigating the victim’s claims and will not have any further comment on this matter in order to preserve the integrity of the case. The Dover Police Department will release further information as it becomes available. We appreciate the public’s and media’s patience in this matter and are confident that the department is taking the proper investigative steps to ensure the case is resolved appropriately."

   Statement issued by NASCAR:
   "NASCAR is aware of the investigation involving driver Kurt Busch. We recognize the seriousness of this matter and are actively gathering information from all parties, including law enforcement authorities and Stewart-Haas Racing. It would be inappropriate for NASCAR to comment further on this matter until we have more information." 

   Statement from Stewart-Haas Racing:
   "This is an allegation Stewart-Haas Racing takes very seriously, but we're still gathering all of the facts and are not in position to comment in greater detail."


   Police reports are not public record in the state of Delaware during ongoing investigations so a copy of the original complaint is not available at this time. 


   An attorney for Kurt Busch, Rusty Hardin, issued the following statement on Friday afternoon:

   "The Dover Police Department has been informed that Mr. Busch will fully cooperate with their investigation and he expects to be vindicated when the entire truth of the situation comes to light. This allegation is a complete fabrication by a woman who has refused to accept the end of a relationship and Mr. Busch vehemently denies her allegations in every respect. At this time we intend to have no further comment in the media out of respect for the Dover Police Department’s desire to conduct a thorough investigation without a media circus. " 

 • Full story: Police investigate domestic violence case involving Kurt Busch

NASCAR's developmental K&N Pro series gets a new look

   NASCAR this week unveiled a new car body design for its developmental K&N Pro series, making the cars much more similar to those used in the Sprint Cup series.

   The new design, which can be used starting next season and becomes mandatory in 2017, is made from a composite laminate blend and allows teams to easily install and repair damaged panels. 

   It will be available in all three manufacturer models: Chevrolet SS, Ford Fusion, and Toyota Camry. The new body will also be eligible for competition in the Automobile Racing Club of America series beginning in 2015.

   "The new K&N Pro Series body represents a major win for the teams, the fans, and the racing industry as a whole,” said Jim Cassidy, senior vice president, racing operations for NASCAR. “This will give our emerging talent the opportunity to gain more valuable, relevant racing experience, and our fans and industry partners will appreciate the car’s similarity in appearance to both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars and street models.”

Hendrick Motorsports statement regarding NASCAR penalties

   CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 4, 2014) – Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal penalties announced today by NASCAR related to a post-race incident Sunday evening at Texas Motor Speedway.

   “With NASCAR’s new Chase format, we’re seeing an unprecedented level of intensity every single week,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “Emotions run high when you’re racing for a championship, and that’s exciting for our fans and everyone involved with the sport. But there’s a line the competitors need to be cognizant of, and we understand that.

   “Jeff (Gordon) was rightfully fired up Sunday night, and it just reiterated to me how passionate he is and how much he wants to win. The No. 24 team is a group that works together and is loyal to one another. They have our full support as we go into these final two races.”

   Team members involved in the incident will not be additionally sanctioned by Hendrick Motorsports.

NASCAR suspends several crew members for fighting

   No. 24 and No. 5 teams punished for post-Texas incident 
 

   Daytona Beach, Fla. (Nov. 4, 2014) -- NASCAR has assessed penalties to crew members from the No. 5 and No. 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams for their involvement in post-race incidents on Nov. 2 at Texas Motor Speedway. In addition, the crew chiefs from those two teams also have been penalized.

   Jeremy Fuller, a crew member with the No. 5 team along with Dwayne Doucette and Jason Ingle, crew members with the No. 24 team, each have been fined $25,000 and suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races. All three were found to be in violation of:
• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty – involved in a post-race physical altercation with a driver on pit road

   Dean Mozingo, a crew member with the No. 24 team, has been fined $10,000 and suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races. He was found to be in violation of:
• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty – involved in a post-race physical altercation with another crew member on pit road

   Kenny Francis, crew chief of the No. 5 team, and Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 24 team, have each been fined $50,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races. They were found to be in violation of:
• Section 9-4A: Crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his team members
• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty

   While the intensity and emotions are high as we continue through the final rounds of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the actions that we saw from several crew members Sunday following the race at Texas are unacceptable," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR senior vice president/competition and racing development. "We reviewed the content that was available to us of the post-race incident along pit road, and identified several crew members who crossed the line with their actions, specifically punching others."
"We therefore have penalized four crew members as well as their crew chiefs, as they ultimately are responsible for members of their team per the NASCAR rulebook," Pemberton continued. "A NASCAR championship is at stake, but we can't allow behavior that crosses the line to go unchecked, particularly when it puts others in harm's way."